Porte keen to race in Japan

AUSTRALIAN star Richie Porte will return to cycling at this weekend’s Japan Cup after his horrific Tour de France crash in July.

Porte suffered a fractured pelvis and broken collarbone when he crashed on Mont du Chat near the end of the Tour’s ninth stage.

The 32-year-old rejected the chance to rest easy for the remainder of 2017, opting to contest the 144km season-ending event in Utsunomiya.

“It’s my first opportunity to race at the Japan Cup since 2013,” he said.